TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As many as 140 students from the British Council learned about Indonesian arts and culture and played the gamelan and singing the Manyar Sewu song accompanied by Javanese Gamelan in the Indonesian Embassy in Madrid.

The Embassy of Indonesia had an open house for 140 students and teachers from the British Council School in a 3-day program, in which the students learn about Indonesia and its various cultures, and also exclusive gamelan training.

The Counselor for the Arts and Culture Division of The Embassy of Indonesia, Theodorus Satrio Nugroho, said yesterday during the introduction of Indonesia and its cultures, the students were taken to the main islands of Indonesia along with its various trademarks, such as; Sumatra with its Saman Dance and football playing elephants, Java with its Batik and Wayang (Shadow Puppets), Bali with its Kecak Dance and its beautiful beaches, and so on.

The students were also introduced to various musical instruments such as the sound of gamelan, bonang, demung, slenthem, kenong, gong, kempul, saron, peking and kendang. They were also taught how to play the Manyar Sewu song using gamelan instruments.

Theodorus said that this program was met with great enthusiasm from the students and the teachers. This type of program is very effective in promoting Indonesia in Spain. The fact that they are still young makes it better for them. As their love for Indonesia grows, they are hoped to help promote Indonesia in Spain with great enthusiasm.

ZEYNITA GIBBONS | ANTARA